Pet Breed Guide NZ
Electric Eel
Electric Eel is a large fish originating from South America. It is not on MPI’s approved species list for ornamental fish imports, so it cannot legally be brought into New Zealand for the aquarium trade and is effectively unavailable here. Typical lifespan is 10-22 years.
Photo Gallery
NZ Ownership Snapshot
Prohibited in NZ- Noise Level
- quiet
- Social Needs
- solitary
- Water Type
- freshwater
Not listed on Schedule 4 (Approved Species) of MPI's Import Health Standard: Ornamental Fish and Marine Invertebrates (ORNAMARI.ALL, 20 September 2021) — species not on the schedule cannot be imported. Verified 4 September 2026. Source: https://www.mpi.govt.nz/dmsdocument/17425-Ornamental-fish-and-marine-invertebrates-from-all-countries-Import-Health-Standard
Breed Snapshot
- Size
- large
- Lifespan
- 10-22 years
- Origin
- South America
- Care Focus
- Best researched for compatible tank mates, grouping, and stable water conditions.
- NZ Price
- NOT AVAILABLE IN NZ — no lawful source or price. The electric eel is not on MPI's approved import list for ornamental fish.
NZ Lifestyle Fit
Not available as a pet in New Zealand. The electric eel is not on Schedule 4 (Approved Species) of MPI's Import Health Standard for ornamental fish (ORNAMARI.ALL), and MPI says a species that isn't included in an import health standard can't be imported. We found no evidence of any held legally in New Zealand, so there is no legal way to buy or keep one here.
About the Electric Eel
The Electric Eel, scientifically known as Electrophorus electricus, is not a true eel but rather a type of knifefish, belonging to the order Gymnotiformes. Originating from the freshwater rivers and floodplains of South America, particularly the Amazon and Orinoco basins, these remarkable creatures are best known for their extraordinary bio-electric capabilities. They possess three pairs of abdominal organs that can generate discharges of several hundred volts, used both to stun prey and to defend themselves from predators. Electric Eels are long-lived, typically surviving between 10 to 22 years in captivity with proper care. They are large, growing up to 2.5 metres in length and weighing up to 20 kilograms, necessitating an immense commitment in terms of tank size and husbandry. Their unique physiology allows them to breathe atmospheric air, supplementing the oxygen they extract from water, which is an adaptation to their often oxygen-poor natural habitats.
What They Look Like
Electric Eels possess a distinctive elongated, cylindrical body, somewhat flattened on the underside, giving them a serpentine appearance. Their skin is typically dark grey to brownish-black on the dorsal side, fading to a yellowish or orange hue on their ventral surface. They lack dorsal, caudal, and pelvic fins, instead propelling themselves through the water with an undulating anal fin that runs almost the entire length of their body. Their head is flattened and broad, with a relatively small mouth. The most notable internal feature, though unseen, is the arrangement of their electric organs, which occupy about 80% of their body length. These organs are modified muscle cells called electrocytes, stacked in columns, allowing for the generation of powerful electrical discharges.
Personality & Behaviour
Electric Eels are primarily nocturnal predators, spending their days hidden in submerged vegetation or crevices and emerging at night to hunt. They are generally solitary animals and, especially as adults, are best kept alone due to their predatory nature and territorial tendencies. They are ambush predators, using low-voltage pulses to navigate and locate prey, and high-voltage shocks to incapacitate it. Despite their formidable abilities, they are generally reclusive and not aggressive towards humans unless provoked or threatened. They are not interactive pets in the traditional sense and should be observed from a distance. Their behaviour is largely driven by hunting instincts and the need for secure hiding spots.
Life in New Zealand
The Electric Eel cannot be legally imported into New Zealand. It is not on Schedule 4 (Approved Species) of MPI's Import Health Standard for ornamental fish, and MPI says a species that isn't included in an import health standard can't be imported. We found no evidence of any held legally here, so there is no lawful way to buy or keep one as a pet. If you are drawn to knifefish, the banded knifefish (Gymnotus carapo), a much smaller South American relative in the same order (Gymnotiformes), is on MPI's approved import list. It uses only weak electric pulses to navigate and communicate.
Is This the Right Pet for You?
No, not in New Zealand. Electric Eels cannot be legally imported and none are known to be held legally here, so they are not an option for NZ aquarists, however experienced. Even where they are legal overseas, they grow very large and need a huge, specialised aquarium, and their electric discharges make handling dangerous.
Fun Facts
Fact 1
Electric Eels are not true eels; they are a type of knifefish more closely related to carp and catfish.
Fact 2
They can generate up to 600 volts of electricity, enough to stun a horse or human.
Fact 3
Electric Eels have three pairs of electric organs: the main organ, Hunter's organ, and Sach's organ, each serving different purposes.
Fact 4
They use low-voltage pulses (around 10V) for navigation and sensing their surroundings, acting like a 'radar'.
Fact 5
Electric Eels can breathe atmospheric air through a specialised mouth lining, allowing them to survive in oxygen-poor waters.
Related Breeds
Archerfish
Archerfish is a medium fish originating from Indo-Pacific. It is listed on Schedule 4 (approved species) of MPI’s Import Health Standard for ornamental fish, so it can be legally imported and sold through the NZ aquarium trade. MPI classes it as a higher-risk species with additional import quarantine conditions. Typical lifespan is 5-10 years.
Frontosa Cichlid
Frontosa Cichlid is a large fish originating from Lake Tanganyika. It is listed on Schedule 4 (approved species) of MPI’s Import Health Standard for ornamental fish, so it can be legally imported and sold through the NZ aquarium trade. Typical lifespan is 15-25 years.
Discus
Discus is a medium fish originating from Amazon River. It is listed on Schedule 4 (approved species) of MPI’s Import Health Standard for ornamental fish, so it can be legally imported and sold through the NZ aquarium trade. MPI classes it as a higher-risk species with additional import quarantine conditions. Typical lifespan is 10-15 years.
Blue Acara
Blue Acara is a medium fish originating from South America. It is listed on Schedule 4 (approved species) of MPI’s Import Health Standard for ornamental fish, so it can be legally imported and sold through the NZ aquarium trade. Typical lifespan is 7-10 years.
Blue Tang
Blue Tang is a medium fish originating from Indo-Pacific. It is listed on Schedule 4 (approved species) of MPI’s Import Health Standard for ornamental fish, so it can be legally imported and sold through the NZ aquarium trade. Typical lifespan is 8-20 years.
Oscar Fish
The Oscar (Astronotus ocellatus) is a large, heavily built cichlid from the slow-moving waters of the Amazon basin, nicknamed the water puppy of the aquarium hobby for its habit of watching its keeper, responding to movement outside the glass and taking food by hand. Adults reach 30 to 45 centimetres and live 10 to 15 years, and a single adult needs a minimum of 250 litres. Oscars are intelligent and opinionated: they dig up substrate, shift ornaments to suit themselves, and can turn territorial towards smaller or more docile tank mates. They are messy, heavy-waste feeders, so powerful filtration and weekly water changes of 25 to 30 per cent matter more here than with most community fish. Wild colouring is mottled olive to brown with orange eye-spots near the tail, and albino, red, tiger and veil-tailed forms are also kept. Best suited to experienced aquarists with the space for a very large tank.